Tap

ABSTRACT

A tap is disclosed. The tap includes a shell having an upper hollow member and a lower cover attached to the upper hollow member. The upper hollow member is formed with a top opening. A single-piece valve body is received in the shell and has an inlet port, an outlet port and a chamber in fluid communication with the ports. In addition, a valve core is movable in the chamber and has a spindle extending to the exterior of the shell through the top opening. The tap further includes a handle connected to a distal end of the spindle for moving the valve core and thereby regulating a flow of liquid from the outlet port of the valve body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tap and, more particularly, to a tap which has an attractive appearance and a watertight internal structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Taps are designed for regulating the flow of liquids, such as water and the like, and can be found in lavatories. FIG. 4 illustrates a mixer tap of a conventional type having a main body 8 with a valve core (not shown) fitted therein. The mixer tap is provided with a single handle 81 to be operated to regulate the flow of hot and/or cold water into inlet ports 82 and out of an outlet port 83.

Generally, the main body 8 is made of copper alloy and has an electroplated outer face. Although the main body 8 has an attractive appearance, the fabrication will consume a large amount of metal.

An attempt has been made to solve the problem. As shown in FIG. 5, another existing tap includes a valve body 9, a discharging head 91, a pair of gasket seals 92 and a bottom cover 93. All these components are made of plastic by injection and are encased in a metal shell 94, which greatly reduces the amount of metal necessary to make the tap. However, a new problem arises that the tap may have an internal structure possibly not watertight enough.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved tap to overcome the shortcomings of the prior arts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tap which has an attractive appearance and a watertight internal structure.

To achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a tap including a shell having an upper hollow member and a lower cover attached to the upper hollow member. The upper hollow member is formed with a top opening. A single-piece valve body is received in the shell and has an inlet port, an outlet port and a chamber in fluid communication with the ports. In addition, a valve core is movable in the chamber and has a spindle extending to the exterior of the shell through the top opening. The tap further includes a handle connected to a distal end of the spindle for moving the valve core and thereby regulating a flow of liquid from the outlet port of the valve body.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a tap in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the tap shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the tap shown in FIG. 1, with a lower cover removed;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a mixer tap of a conventional type; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another existing tap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a tap 1 in accordance with the present invention. The tap 1 includes a shell 2 having an upper hollow member 6 and a lower cover 7.

The upper hollow member 6, preferred with a shining outer face, may be made of copper alloy, stainless steel or ceramic. The hollow member 6 includes a main body 61 having an outwardly extending nose 63, with a top opening 62 defined in the main body 61 and a open bottom 64, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, defined in the main body 61 and the nose 63.

Received in the upper hollow member 6 of the shell 2 is a single-piece valve body 3 that is made integrally of glass fiber reinforced plastic or, alternatively, of any plastic suitable for injection. The valve body 3 has an inlet port 32, and a top-opened chamber 31 defined partially by a cylindrical threaded wall (not numbered). The valve body 3 further has a tubular arm 33 defining an internal duct 34 terminating in an outlet port 35. It is important that the chamber 31 is in fluid communication with the ports 32 and 35.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper hollow member 6 is formed with a first fastening 65, such as threaded holes 651, while the valve body 3 is formed with a second fastening 36 cooperative with the first fastening 65, such as tabs 361 having respective through-holes 37 aligned with the threaded holes 651. So the valve body 3 can be connected to the upper hollow member 6, by means of screws that extend through the through-holes 37 of the tabs 361 and are screwed into the threaded holes 651 of the hollow member 6.

In the present invention, a valve core 4 is movable in the chamber 31 of the valve body 3 and has a spindle (not numbered) extending to the exterior of the upper hollow member 6 of the shell 2 through the top opening 62. Furthermore, an annular retainer 41 is mounted around the spindle of the valve core 4 in a location immediately above the upper hollow member 6. The annular retainer 41 has a threaded bottom collar (not numbered) extending downward through the top opening 62 of the upper hollow member 6 and threadedly engaged with the cylindrical threaded wall of the chamber 31, thereby limiting the movement of the valve core 4 to a range within the chamber 31 of the valve body 3.

The tap 1 further includes a handle 5 connected to a distal end of the spindle of the valve core 4 for moving the valve core 4 within the chamber 31. The handle 5 can be operated to move the valve core 4 so that an channel (not shown) in the valve core 4 may communicate the duct 34 with the inlet port 32, thereby regulating a flow of liquid from the outlet port 35 of the valve body 3.

Additionally, the upper hollow member 6 further has an inner stop configured as three inwardly-projecting protuberances 661, as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. These protuberances 661 are positioned so that the lower cover 7 may be attached in place to the upper hollow member 6 by engaging with the protuberances 661.

The lower cover 7 is a curved thin piece which is shaped to cover the open bottom 64 of the upper hollow member 6. However, the cover 7 has a first orifice 71 to expose the outlet port 35 and a second orifice 72 to expose the inlet port 32 of the valve body 3.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the present invention is advantageous in that:

-   -   1. the combination of the valve body with the shell provides an         attractive appearance for the inventive tap;     -   2. the single-piece valve body can be manufactured more easily         and is more watertight than those that are composed of several         components; and     -   3. the shell can be made into any configuration that fit the         valve body.

Although embodiments together with structures and functions of the present invention have been described in detail, many modifications and variations may be made from the teachings disclosed hereinabove. For example, the present invention can be made into a configuration of a mixer tap. Therefore, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that any modification and variation equivalent to the spirit of the present invention be regarded to fall into the scope coved by the appended claims. 

1. A tap comprising: a shell having an upper hollow member and a lower cover attached to said upper hollow member, said upper hollow member being formed with a top opening, a single-piece valve body received in said shell, said valve body having an inlet port, an outlet port and a chamber in fluid communication with said ports; a valve core movable in said chamber, said valve core having a spindle extending to the exterior of said shell through said top opening; and a handle connected to a distal end of said spindle for moving said valve core and thereby regulating a flow of liquid from said outlet port of said valve body.
 2. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper hollow member is formed with a first fastening, and where said valve body is formed with a second fastening cooperative with said first fastening to connect said valve body to said upper hollow member.
 3. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper hollow member has an inner stop positioned so that said lower cover may be engaged with and attached in place to said upper hollow member.
 4. The tap as claimed in claim 3, wherein said inner stop is configured as three inwardly-projecting protuberances.
 5. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said chamber is defined partially by a cylindrical threaded wall, and wherein an annular retainer is mounted around said spindle in a location immediately above said upper hollow member, and has a threaded collar extending through said top opening of said upper hollow member and threadedly engaged with said cylindrical threaded wall, thereby limiting the movement of the valve core to a range within said chamber.
 6. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower cover has a first orifice to expose said outlet port and a second orifice to expose said inlet port.
 7. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said single-piece valve body is made of glass fiber reinforced plastic. 